Police Devotion 1-13-2017

“For there is no respect of persons with God.” (Romans 2:11)

Imagine getting a call like this: “Any car able to respond, we have a report of a burglary in progress. The victims are a black couple in their 60’s.”  Or maybe, “Radio to any car, a white store clerk is being robbed at gunpoint at the mom-and-pop store.” Wouldn’t those be crazy calls? Who cares what race the victims are? All that matters is that they need your help NOW. So you speed off to help them.

Race doesn’t matter to good cops. Good cops do their best for victims, no matter the race. Cops are often accused of mistreating minorities, yet on any violent-crime-in-progress call with non-white victims, it’d be interesting to see how many cops responded, each officer’s race, how fast each one arrived, and what each officer did on the call that involved personal risk: searching a building, a foot chase through yards, a fight with a suspect. Stats like these will provide a more honest and thorough look at how cops perform. They’ll also demonstrate clearly what cops and decent people already know: cops put their lives on the line time and again to help people of different races, and they’ll continue to do so.

Race also doesn’t matter to victims. When they’re being robbed, their houses are being kicked in, they hear gunfire, or the drug dealer is walking up and down the street, they don’t care if the cop who responds looks like them. They’re scared. They want cops who respond fast. Race doesn’t even matter to suspects. They don’t care if the cop is the same color as they are; criminals only see a uniform. White cops have been shot and murdered by white criminals. Black cops have been shot and murdered by black criminals.

The sacredness of life is a great racial equalizer. When you’re on a high-risk call with other cops, you know that the atmosphere is electric. You’re doing something dangerous but important. You don’t care about the race or gender of the officers or the victim. You’re working as a team, focused on one goal that’s bigger than any of you: helping a victim of violent crime and stopping a predatory suspect.

The gospel of Jesus Christ, however, is the greatest racial equalizer in the world. It puts all people on the same plane before God. Each person of each race is guilty of sin and separated from a holy God as a result: “For ALL have sinned, and COME SHORT of the glory of God” [capitals added] (Romans 3:23). Each person of each race is condemned to death and hell for his sin: “For the wages of sin is death.” “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire” (Romans 6:23, Revelation 20:14).

Yet God the Son, Jesus Christ, took the sins of each person of every race to His cross on Calvary: “And that he died for ALL” [capitals added] (2 Corinthians 5:15). Jesus was buried and rose again! “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen” (Revelation 1:18). Jesus’ offer of forgiveness for sin and salvation is for all: “But AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” [capitals added] (John 1:12). “For WHOSOEVER shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” [capitals added] (Romans 10:13).

When any person, of any race, comes to Jesus as a repentant sinner and receives Him as Saviour, the same wonderful thing happens: the Lord gives the sinner eternal forgiveness of all sins, Jesus’ indwelling presence, an eternal home in heaven, and the most important task in the world: to share this good news with people of all races.

If you haven’t seen in the Bible how to receive Jesus as your personal Saviour, please click “Helpful Links” on the top menu and then “How Do I Go to Heaven?”

Brian Miller 1/13/2017

Cleveland Baptist Church |  4431 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 4414 |  216.671.2822